FEDERER v NADAL latest

nadal, he is da man. I am sure folk like spinbalz will discredit the win
stating its slow hardcourt and on and on they go, he can play the hardcourts and beat the #1 player in the world, after a 3 month layoff. the kids is a blast to watch and is dang great on hardcourt and unbeatable (almost) on clay.

nadal, he is da man. I am sure folk like spinbalz will discredit the win
stating its slow hardcourt and on and on they go, he can play the hardcourts and beat the #1 player in the world, after a 3 month layoff. the kids is a blast to watch and is dang great on hardcourt and unbeatable (almost) on clay.

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It's not that he ísn't a great hard court player, but this was a fairly small tourney. I'm sure people will start taking notice if he pulls this off at a major. But that grass thing won't be happening for him. His weapons are negated on grass.

It's clear that at this point federer only wins when he plays his best tennis.

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Then he must be playing at his best most of the time. I see it the other way around...that he wins even when he is playing poorly and it takes a huge effort for the other guys to beat him. Nadal is one of the few exceptions because his game tends to give Fed problems, but Nadal can't beat Fed unless he is on.

Then he must be playing at his best most of the time. I see it the other way around...that he wins even when he is playing poorly and it takes a huge effort for the other guys to beat him. Nadal is one of the few exceptions because his game tends to give Fed problems, but Nadal can't beat Fed unless he is on.

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1. Well, yes, I think he plays his best tennis most of the time. Or at least he is able to raise his game when it matters.

2. "he wins when he plays poorly" --> you do know how it ended, right?

1. Well, yes, I think he plays his best tennis most of the time. Or at least he is able to raise his game when it matters.

2. "he wins when he plays poorly" --> you do know how it ended, right?

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I think that throughout 2004 and most of 2005 he played his best tennis for the majority of the time. Most people agree that his form has slipped a bit recently. He lost 5 sets in his last 4 matches of the AO, that's not happened in a while. Even the world number 488 had him up against it the other day. He just seems to be a bit sloppy, but usually he DOES win when he plays poorly.
In this match he actually played pretty well. Of course we know how it ended, but this outcome was unusual for Fed.

In the first set, Federer came out on the court willing to win from the first ball. He didin't want surprises. He didin't want to allow Nadal to play. He played an AWESOME tennis, he played a PERFECT tennis, he absolutely blew Nadal off the court. The level of his tennis was so high, that it was impossible (at that moment) to think in another thing than Federer winning 62-62 or even 62-60. But... a so high level was hard to maintain. His tennis in the 1st set was unreal. Nadal was uncomfortable, and seemed nervous under the Federer's storm. He didn't hit the ball with strenght and self-confidence, he hit no winners. But the credit went to Federer:the Swiss didn't allow the Spaniard to play.

In the 2nd set, Nadal did what in him is usual (at least when court isn't ultra-fast): he didn't want to be outclassed, and he started to fight back and (only he knows how) focused on the game again, when everybody else thought he had a 0% chance. Federer couldn't play at the same unreal level as in the 1st set, just as happened to Ljubicic in Madrid. Add to this that Nadal started to play much better, raising his game and making much less errors. He started to use his usual weapons and hitting stronger, deeper and more accurate balls. He started to hit winners too. He started to remind the 2005 Nadal. At the end of the set, he was the 2005 Nadal. It seemed that the Nadal comeback took Fed (any anyone else) by surprise.

In the 3rd set, both played at great level. Nadal started breaking Federer and taking a 2-0 advantage, but Fed demonstrated why is he the #1, and never fell under pressure. Both played some great points, and it was a true head-to-head between world's #1 and #2, on a surface that gave chances to both of them (although an edge to Federer). Federer made a legitimate try to regain the control of the match, and at this point the match was levelled. But Nadal was on fire, he had all his self-confidence back and he won the crucial points.

This was a great 3-setter (too bad it wasn't a 5-setter). Federer started played at a high level (I agree with someone who said in this thread that it's not so usual watching Fed playing that way), but Nadal mental strength allowed him to leave the 6-2 apart and start playing as a #2. Nadal still will have problems on grass or US Open-like fast courts, but on medium hardcourts there's not any doubt left about his game. He can face anyone. Today he faced Federer legitimately. It wasn't that Fed was off or choked or anything. They were #1 and #2 and both demonstrated why, each one in his own way. Federer is the best, Nadal has the bigger guts. Let's say more: Federer is the best ever, Nadal is much better than many people want to recognize.

An emotional match, with a tennis lesson by Master Federer in the 1st, and a competitiveness lesson by Nadal in the 2nd and 3rd.

It's unbelievable the tennis that Federer can produce when he is at his best. Unbelievable.

simi said:

Roger was very gracious and complimantary to Rafael. He even said that he was "lucky" to get that one win off of him. He recognizes that Rafael is a true competitor on the court and said he hopes to play him more often in the future. You could tell that Roger respects Rafael and his game.

Rafael has learned a little English too, but he was clearly uncomfortable with the language. You could tell that he really didn't understand some of the comments and questions. He did well, however.

It was interesting that during the sponsor speaches, etc., you could see Roger and Rafael in the background behind the "stage" talking with each other in a very comfortable manner while they were lounging on the benches waiting to be called.

Roger seemed to be in good spirits after the match. Don't think this really hurt him mentally much at all. He just recognizes that Rafael is someone he really need to be aware of and will have to play his best to be able to beat.

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I partially agree.

Right at the end of the match, when both players went to their chairs, Federer (excuse me for the word, but this IS the appropiate word) was really f****d up. I don't recall seeing Federer with that angry expression after a match ever. He was a gentleman as usual, but you could see in his face that he really wanted to win today... his face was like if he lost Wimbledon. But this was for some minutes: after that, he was talking to Nadal in a really friendly way and he was smiling a lot.

During the speech, Federer was graceful (I don't see why some say he wasn't). Nadal said that "Roger is the best player in History for sure" (it seemed to me that Federer looked a bit surprised when hearing that: camera fas shooting him right at the moment). It's true that Nadal still very uncomfortable with English, and that he didn't understand some of the questions and comments.

rhino said:

In this match he actually played pretty well. Of course we know how it ended, but this outcome was unusual for Fed.

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As I said, in my opinion Federer played a 1st set to be displayed at every single tennis academy, saying: "well boys, THIS is tennis". This guy has to be the best ever. He lost, but that's not the point. His tennis is so complete, so beautiful, so graceful. He does everything and does everything well. He HAS everything. He IS tennis. We're being witnesses of, in my opinion, THE genius of tennis. I don't want this guy to ever retire. He is so ridiculously good.

It's not that he ísn't a great hard court player......I'm sure people will start taking notice if he pulls this off at a major. But that grass thing won't be happening for him. His weapons are negated on grass.

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Hmmmm, that is the same thing people said about a young American named.....

Andre Agassi

Just like Agassi, I think Nadal provides a nice jolt of excitement for the world of tennis. I was a big Edberg fan back in the day, but I loved to root for Andre, especially during his Wimbledon run. Just my two cents.

When did the coverage finally come on the chinese station? All I saw was soccer. Does Tony Roche deserve any blame in this loss or was this all on Fed not finishing the job he started in set 1? I would have rather this loss come against anybody but Rafa. This was a statement match both ways. It Feds chance to tell nadal, "tick-tock dude, your time as French Open King is short". This was also Phederer's chance to tell all the critics who pushed for a rival, "Silly phools I am Phed. I have no rivals!" This was nadal's chance to say, "Last year was no phluke." It was also his chace to tell the ATP, "unlike you cowards I have no fear of Federer. So if I'm not number one I'm number oneish. Fear kid dynomite 2K6!" It seems that the young Spaniard spoke loudest yesterday. If Nadal wins the next match between the two that means (According to P-mac) that Fed is his "pigeon". What a sickening thought to a Phed Phan! The whispers are starting Phed you need another masterful performance to stop them. Just the ramblings of a tired mad phan...

Hmmmm, that is the same thing people said about a young American named.....

Andre Agassi

Just like Agassi, I think Nadal provides a nice jolt of excitement for the world of tennis. I was a big Edberg fan back in the day, but I loved to root for Andre, especially during his Wimbledon run. Just my two cents.

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Yeah but Agassi's game was/is much better suited to fast courts - he hugs the baseline and takes the ball on the rise. Now if Rafa can get that lefty serve going and take the ball earlier he may make some noise on grass.

When did the coverage finally come on the chinese station? All I saw was soccer. Does Tony Roche deserve any blame in this loss or was this all on Fed not finishing the job he started in set 1? I would have rather this loss come against anybody but Rafa. This was a statement match both ways. It Feds chance to tell nadal, "tick-tock dude, your time as French Open King is short". This was also Phederer's chance to tell all the critics who pushed for a rival, "Silly phools I am Phed. I have no rivals!" This was nadal's chance to say, "Last year was no phluke." It was also his chace to tell the ATP, "unlike you cowards I have no fear of Federer. So if I'm not number one I'm number oneish. Fear kid dynomite 2K6!" It seems that the young Spaniard spoke loudest yesterday. If Nadal wins the next match between the two that means (According to P-mac) that Fed is his "pigeon". What a sickening thought to a Phed Phan! The whispers are starting Phed you need another masterful performance to stop them. Just the ramblings of a tired mad phan...

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Just oph the top oph my head: some predictions phor the next phortnight: Phunky Phorehand gets more consistent with his little ephing spelling idiosyncracy. HE phully commits to the liphestyle and turns absolutely every "F" into a 'ph'...no slacking: no iphs, ands or buts (see above, iph you will). His every post will be the phinest of ephing pukephests.

Later this spring, 'the phunky one' will pass all oph his phinals, graduate phrom HS and start on the tennis team as a phreshman at Phurman. Aphter a phun-philled semester, he will phlunk out and pursue a 2-year Exercise Physiology degree at Pherris State. He spells his major correctly on the very phirst try. He aspires to be a Physical Education teacher one phine day.

His circle of phriends, known as the phunky bunch, all name Phrenology by the Roots and basically anything by Phish as their phavorite CDs. They all have the same taste in philms, mostly just phantasizing about the Phoebe Cates poolside scene in Phast Times at Ridgemont High. Their phavorite tennis players are Phabrice Santoro and Raphael Nadal. They also root for David Pherrer, Juan Carlos Pherrero and Phernando Gonzalez. They are sad that Wayne Pherreira and Stephi Graph retired.

The phollowing phall, Phunky Phorehand will lose phaith in his phorehand. Its phunk phactor phalls phast and becomes less oph a weapon. A total phlop iph you ask his phellow teammates.

He developth a theriouthly thick lithp and his thpelling goes to the dogth. With hith conphidenth at an all time low, he turnth inward and does nothing but practith hith therve. It becomth hith major emphathith -- on the court or off. He changeth hith screen name to Thuper Therve.

All oph a thudden, hith entire liphe getth increathingly conphusing: he dithcoverth a new phavorite movie: Thtar Wars Epithode THree, Revenge oph the Thith. He thinkth it to be the greatetht philm oph all time. Hith phriends beg to dipher. They dithown him.

Well, thee you later, phriendth. Iph you got thith phar in thith potht, I hope you do not have too bad a headache. I do. Peath out.

Yeah but Agassi's game was/is much better suited to fast courts - he hugs the baseline and takes the ball on the rise. Now if Rafa can get that lefty serve going and take the ball earlier he may make some noise on grass.

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Exactly norcal, If Nadal can get away with standing 10 ft. behind the baseline and running everything down on grass then he is inhuman. But seeing how grass just doesn't give you that nice bounce like on hard courts or clay the chances of that happening are too small to compute. I do however have a feeling that James Blake will do well in Wimby.

Absolutely. No way Fed is not gonna go down like a little b*tch in a 3 out 5 final. Plus Nadal might this time have to play more than 3 matches to get to the final so he is gonna be tired, if he even gets to the final.